The U.S. Army agreed to an $11 million deal with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and his UFL spring football league this year to boost recruitment. It didn’t work.
Military.com reported Tuesday that the agreement, which featured Army patches on UFL uniforms, led to zero enlistments. The multimillion-dollar partnership may have led to a loss of 38 recruits, according to the report. Still, Army marketing officials denied that the partnership had any negative impact on recruiting efforts.
“We won’t have a clear view of the results of the partnership or impacts to the Army’s financial investment until all marketing elements are complete,” the Army Enterprise Marketing Office said in a statement. “This partnership allowed the Army to increase awareness and engage with a wider audience for Americans to learn about the possibilities of Army service.”
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The UFL didn’t respond to The Washington Times’ request for comment.
The UFL-Johnson partnership reportedly included five Army-centered social media posts by the Hollywood star, Military.com reported. The posts, which could have reached his 396 million Instagram followers, boasted a $1 million valuation.
But Johnson hasn’t posted about the Army since April. He published only two of the military-related social media posts.
The Army is now looking to recoup $6 million from the failed deal, according to documents reviewed by Military.com.
Despite the complications, the Army isn’t severing its relationship with Johnson or the UFL.
“In terms of The Rock, it’s unfortunate he was pulled away at a time when we expected him to be present with us to create content for his social media channels,” Col. Dave Butler, a spokesman for Army Chief of Staff Randy George, said in a statement to Military.com. “But we’re working with the UFL to rebalance the contract. The Rock remains a good partner to the Army.”
The military is in a recruiting crisis, falling 41,000 soldiers short of its enlistment goals in 2023, according to federal reports.
Ashish S. Vazirani, acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said at a September congressional hearing, “The all-volunteer force faces one of its greatest challenges since inception. … We must reach today’s youth where they are with a message that resonates with them and motivates them to act.”